Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
  • B63H8/00—Sail or rigging arrangements specially adapted for water sports boards, e.g. for windsurfing or kitesurfing
  • B63H8/50—Accessories, e.g. repair kits or kite launching aids
  • B63H8/56—Devices to distribute the user's load, e.g. harnesses
  • B63H8/58—Spreader bars; Hook connection arrangements
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10S29/00—Metal working
  • Y10S29/037—Stamping with other step

Definitions

• This invention relates to windsurfing apparatus ' and is particularly directed to an improved spreader for use in windsurfing.
• the sport of windsurfing involves a board which is similar to a surfboard but has a mast pivotally secured thereto with a sail carried by the mast and having a so-called "wish-bone" boom pivotally secured to the mast and extending rearwardly along both sides of the sail to join aft of the luff edge of the sail, originally, the user would stand on the board and raise the sail by lifting the mast to a generally upright position.
• the user would use his weight to hold the sail upright against the action of the wind and would control the direction of movement of the board by pulling on the forward or rearward positions of the boom.
• the effort required to accomplish this was substantial and placed considerable strain on the user's back and arm muscles.
• spreader bars greatly reduce the strain which the windsurfer must bear physically, this strain must be absorbed by the spreader itself. Consequently, the spreader bar must be formed of material which is very light in weight and which is strong enough to withstand these strains and must be sufficiently rigid to maintain its shape despite the stresses that are applied to the spreader bar. on the other hand, the spreader bar must also be sufficiently flexible to provide a shock absorbing function, since the sudden application of such heavy stress loads directly to the surfer's anatomy could cause serious and possible permanent injury. None of the prior art spreader bars have provided this combination of strength, rigidity
• An improved windsurfing spreader is provided which substantially eliminates friction of the harness line during sheeting and greatly reduces the effort required for movement of the boom and, hence, for directional control of the sail and board and which can be released quickly and easily when desired.
• the spreader is formed of material which is very light in weight and
• SUBSTITUTE SHEET which .is strong enough and rigid enough to withstand the stresses of windsurfing.
• the spreader is also sufficiently flexible to provide a shock-absorbing function to prevent injury to the surfer.
• the advantages of the present invention are preferably attained by providing an improved windsurfing spreader.
• the improved spreader has at least one pulley is mounted thereon to rotatably engage the harness line and mounted in a manner to facilitate disengagement of the harness line from the pulley, when desired.
• the spreader is made stamping a blank of the spreader bar from a .1 0 gauge sheet of 6061-0 alloy, coining the blank to round the edges, bending the blank to provide a 90° flange and the desired radius of the spreader bar, deburring the blank and, finally heat treating the spreader bar to a T62 temper.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved windsurfing spreader bar. Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved windsurfing spreader bar which greatly reduces chaffing and wear of the harness line.
• An additional object of the present invention is to provide an improved windsurfing spreader bar which greatly reduces the effort required of the user in sheeting the harness line.
• a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved windsurfing spreader bar which can be disengaged from the harness line quickly and easily when desired.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved windsurfing spreader bar which permits safer and less strenuous participation in the sport of windsurfing.
• An additional object of the present invention is to provide an improved windsurfing spreader bar which is
• SUBSTITUTESHEET very light in weight and which is strong enough and rigid enough to withstand the stresses of windsurfing, yet which is sufficiently flexible to provide a shock-absorbing function to prevent injury to the surfer.
• a specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved windsurfing spreader having at least one pulley mounted thereon to rotatably engage the harness line and mounted in a manner to facilitate disengagement of the harness line from the pulley, when desired, and which is very light in weight and which is strong enough and rigid enough to withstand the stresses of windsurfing, yet which is sufficiently flexible to provide a shock-absorbing function to prevent injury to the surfer.
• FIGURE 1 is a front view of a windsurfing spreader bar embodying the present invention.
• FIGURE 2 is a side view of the windsurfing spreader bar of FIGURE 1.
• FIGURE 3 is a top view of the windsurfing spreader bar of FIGURE 1.
• FIGURE 4 is a view, similar to that of FIGURE 2, showing an alternative form of the windsurfing spreader bar of FIGURE 1.
• FIGURE 5 is a flow diagram showing the steps required to form the windsurfing spreader bar of FIGURE 1.
• FIGURE 6 is a vertical section through a "wave" roller for use with the spreader bar of the present invention.
• FIGURE 7 is a vertical section through a "slalom” roller for use with the spreader bar of the present invention.
• FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 show a windsurfing spreader, indicated generally at 10, comprising a spreader bar 12 formed with side portions 14 which curve rearwardly, forming a radius of approximately 16 inches (41.03 cm), as best seen in FIGURE 3, and which are formed with openings 16 to receive a belt or the like for securing the spreader 10 across the front of a user's body.
• the spreader bar 12 is preferably formed of a single, integral piece of material which is very light in weight and which is strong enough and rigid enough to withstand the stresses of windsurfing, yet which is sufficiently flexible to .provide a shock-absorbing function to prevent injury to the surfer. It has been found that the spreader is best formed from a .190 gauge thickness of 6061 alloy, available from Pacific Metal company, located in Portland, Oregon in the United States of America.
• the spreader When formed in the manner • described below and illustrated in FIGURE 5, The spreader provides the desired characteristics.
• the spreader bar 12 has a flange 18 projecting forwardly from one edge of the spreader bar 12 at an angle of approximately 90°, as best seen in FIGURE 2, and may have a roller 20 rotatably mounted perpendicular to the flange 18, as by pivot 22, which also serves to secure the roller 20 to the flange 18.
• Different forms of the roller 20 may be provided, as seen in FIGURES 6 and 7 and described below.
• on the site of the flange 18 may be located a harness slot 18a therethrough. This slot allows a shoulder strap to be affixed to the chest harness which then allows the harness to be more easily attached to
• a hook 24 may be substituted for the roller 20, if desired, depending from the outer end of the flange 18.
• a rib 15 may be provided extending laterally across the front surface 17 of the spreader bar 12, as seen in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, to assist in distributing the forces exerted on the spreader bar 12.
• the rib 15 may be formed by simply adding additional material to the front surface 17 of the spreader bar 12 or, preferably, by forming a recess 19 in the rear surface 21 of the spreader bar 12, which forms the rib 15 without adding additional weight to the spreader bar 12.
• FIGURE 6 shows a "wave" roller, indicated generally at 26, having an upper flange 28 which is approximately 1.25 inches (3.21 cm) in diameter and a body portion 30 which curves concavely inward and downward to a waist diameter of approximately .750 inch (1.92 cm), as seen at 32, and, thereafter, flares convexly outward and downward to a lower diameter of approximately .95 inch (2.44 cm), as seen at 34.
• a central bore 36 extends vertically through the roller 20 to receive the pivot 22, as described above with respect to FIGURE 1.
• the concavely curved upper portion 32 of the "wave” roller 26 facilitates sheeting of the harness.
• the ability to instantaneously disconnect the spreader bar from the harness is extremely important and may be a matter of life and death.
• the convexly curved lower portion 34 of the body 30 of the "wave” roller 26 accommodates such rapid disconnection.
• FIGURE 7 shows a "slalom” roller, indicated generally at 38, having an upper flange 40 which is approximately 1.25 inches (3.21 cm) in diameter and a body portion 42 which curves concavely inward and downward to a waist diameter of approximately .750 inches (1.92 cm), as seen at 44, and continues to curve concavely downward and outward to a lower flange 46 having a diameter of approximately 1.375 inches (3.53 cm).
• the "slalom” roller 38 provides great speed and ease of sheeting, while the lower flange 46 provides protection against inadvertent disconnection of the harness from the spreader bar.
• the windsurfing spreader bar 12 is formed from a single, integral piece of .1375 inch (.48 cm) thick or .190 gauge sheet of 6061 alloy.
• the 6000 series alloys available from the aforementioned Pacific Metal Company are alloys of aluminum, copper, magnesium, 2inc and silicon containing sufficient proportions of silicon and magnesium to form magnesium suicide, thus making the alloys heat treatable.
• the blank is, initially, unt ⁇ mpered and is cold worked by stamping out a flat blank, having the general configuration of the spreader bar 12, which is then coined to provide rounded edges.
• the blank is then placed in a two-stage progressive forming die which bends the flange 18 to its 90° position and gives the side portions 14 the desired 16 inch (41.03 cm) radius.
• the blank is then deburred resulting in the form of the spreader bar 10 seen at 12 in FIGURES 1-3.
• the formed spreader bar 10 is treated in a heated solution containing more of the alloying ingredients, such as copper, magnesium, zinc and silicon, since aluminum shows increasing solid solubility for these metals at increasing temperatures and this heat treatment serves to super-saturate the
• SUBSTITUTESHEET aluminum produces considerable strengthening of the aluminum. This heat treatment is followed by rapid quenching in water, which "freezes" the structure. Finally, the spreader bar 10 is artificially aged by maintaining the spreader bar 10 at a slightly above room temperature for a period of time to allow precipitation of the alloying components which tempers and further enhances the strength of the spreader bar 10, yielding a Rockwell strength rating of 89 to 98.
• the resulting product is found to be -extremely light in weight, is strong enough and rigid enough to withstand the stresses of windsurfing, yet is sufficiently flexible to provide a significant shock-absorbing function and is highly resistant to atmospheric or chemical corrosion.
• the user laces a belt or the like through the openings 16 of the side portions 14 and secures the spreader 10 across the front of their body. Then, they mount the windsurfing board, raise the mast and sail, and loops the harness about the pulley 28. This attaches the user to the windsurfing board and allows the user's weight, rather than their back and arm muscles, to aid in holding the mast upright against the action of the wind. hen the user desires to change direction, they adjust the angle of the sail and boom, which causes the harness to be sheeted through the spreader 10 about the pulley 28. Because the pulley 28 is rotatably mounted, sheeting of the harness is subjected to rolling friction, rather than sliding friction as has been the case with prior art spreaders. This greatly reduces chaffing of the harness and
• SUBSTITUTESHEET results in significantly increased life for the harness. Moreover, the rolling friction requires considerably less effort on the part of the user in performing the sheeting action. This materially reduces the strain on the user and permits longer and less tiring sailing. Finally, when the user desires to disengage form the windsurfing board, they simply grip the boom with both hands and pull the rig toward them. This produces slack in the harness which permits the harness to fall free of the pulley 28 to release the user. This action can be performed quickly and easily whenever desired and, thus, assures that the user can release themselves from the windsurfing board promptly and easily should a dangerous situation threaten.

Landscapes

• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Buckles (AREA)
• Catching Or Destruction (AREA)
• Toys (AREA)
• Emergency Lowering Means (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=25068326

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (4)

Citations (2)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 1991
  • 1991-09-23 US US07/763,618 patent/US5195443A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1992
  • 1992-09-18 AU AU27547/92A patent/AU2754792A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1992-09-18 EP EP19920921170 patent/EP0605625A4/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 1992-09-18 WO PCT/US1992/008000 patent/WO1993006003A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (2)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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